Improved machine for bending flanges on boiler-heads



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID l-IOVELL, LOISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

IMPRQVED MACHINE FOR BENDING FLANGES ON BOILER-HEADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 18,452, dated October 20, 1857.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID HOWELL, of

Louisville, in the countyot Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Device for Bending Flanges on Boiler-Heads, Fine-Rings, and the Like; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the saine, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure lis a vertical section of my improvement, showing the roller-frame in an elevated position. Fig. 2 is the same View as Fig. l, with the exception that the roller-frame is depressed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the saine with the roller-frame removed and the device attached for bending the flange at the outer side of the plate. Fig. 4 is a plan or top view of the same, shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an inner face view of a boiler-head with iianges turned or formed on it by my invention. Fig. 6 1s a central section of the same. Fig. 7 is a vert-ical section of the improvement, showing a modification of the roller arrangement for bending the inner flange.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

My lnvention consists in the employment or use of an annular bed or anvil in connection with rollers attached to traversing levers, as will be presently described, whereby flanges maybe turned or bent down both on the outer and inner edges of annular metal plates for the formation of boiler-heads, flue-rings, and the like.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it. I

A is a horizon tal platehaving two vertical supports B B on its upper surface, on which supports an annular bed or anvil C is placed. The plate A and uprights B may be metal cast 1n one piece, and the bed or anvil C may be faced with steel and cast with the above plates, or not, as desired.

D 1s an upright arbor or shaft which is secured to the plate A. This arbor or shaft is stationary and passes up through the center of the bed or anvil C. a b are two circular plates which are connected by upright rods c and placed loosely on the arbor-shaft D. The upper plate a is considerably larger in diameter than the lower plate b, and the journals of two rollers E E are iitted in the plates a t), the journals being tted in the plates near their peripheries, and thereby giving the rollers an inclined position, their upper ends being farther apart than their lower ends, as shown clearly in Figs. l and 2. The upper ends of the rollers are of taper or conical form, as shown at d, but their lower parts are cylindrical or of equal diameter, as shown at e.

F is an annular plate, (shown in red,) which is'to have flanges turned or bent on its inner and outer edges. This plate is placed on the bed or anvil C, the plates a b and rollers E E being previously raised and removed from the shaft o1' arbor.

, G is a lever which is fitted on the shaft or arbor D, and also on two vertical pins f f, which are attached to the upper surface of the plate a. This lever projects at equal distance at opposite sides of the shaft or arbor,

and the lever G is rotated by human power,

a man being at each end of the lever, and the rollers E, as they descend, (said rollers being pressed down by the operatives,) bend down the inner edge of the plate F, the cylindrical portions c of course first acting upon the plate, and when said portions c pass below the plate the conical portions act upon it and bend the inner edge down snugly against the inner side of the bed or anvil C and at right angles with the upper horizontal portion, as shown clearly atg in Figs. 2 and 3. 'Vhen the inner ange g is formed, the lever G is removed, and also the rollers E E, and a lever l-l is placed on f the shaft or arbor D, said lever having a roller h at its under side, which leans upon the upper surface of the plate F.l (See Fig. 3.) In the lever H a vertical lever il is pivoted, said lever having a conical roller j on its lower end and having its upper end connected by a link k with a rod I, which passes through an eyel at the outer end of the lever H. The outer end of the rod I has a screw-thread formed on it, and a thumb-nut J is placed therein. It will be seen that by turning or adjusting the nut J the lever 'i will be actuated and the roller j will be moved nearer to or farther from the plate F. The lever Gr is turned around by hand, and the roller z'-, in consequence of leaning against the outer edge of the plate F, will bend it down, the rollerrlbeing gradually moved toward the bed or anvil by turning the nnt J until the outer bent edge of the plate F is madeto bear snugly against the outer edge of the bed or anvil, forming a flange g Aparallel with the one g at the inner edge, or the flange may be formed at any angie. The lever H may be provided with two adjustable levers i and rollers j, one at each side of the shaft or arbor D, the shaft D passing through the center of lever H, or two screws H may be 'employed and their inner ends attached to a socket 7s. placed on the shaft D.

Frein the above description of parts it will be readily seen that the inner flange g may in certain cases be formed by a roller attached to a lever, (see Fig. 7,) in which K represents alever attached to a socket Z, placed on the shaft or arbor D, said lever having a roller m attached to it. For heavy Work, however, the inclined rollers, previously 'described and shown in Figs. l and 2, are preferable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The employment or use of an annular bed or anvil, in connection with a roller or rollers attached to a traversing lever in any proper way, for the purpose of bending down the inner and outer edges of annular plates, and thereby forming the anges of boiler-heads, iiue-'rings, and the like, as set forth.

` DAVID HOWELL. XVitiiesses:

H. WALLER, WILOGHBY GLUD. 

